• DONATIONS NOW OPEN! TGPF relies on donations to run. If you'd like to donate towards running costs you can find out more HERE
  • Fresh grass and lawn tips to avoid springtime deaths Click here for details

A Question About Fleece And Poop

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jeniva

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Messages
226
Reaction score
79
Points
265
Location
Hertfordshire, UK
I've never used fleece for piggies, but I'm planning on getting a c&c cage and probably using fleece instead.
So what I'm wondering is, to your piggies do their dirty all over the fleece all the time? Can you litter train them? How? How often do you change the fleece?

Thank you :)
 
I use vet bed and a cat litter tray for the hay. They do poop on it but I just use a dust pan and brush a couple times a day. It sweeps off easy!
 
I use cloth diapers under my fleece. I put my hay in a small cat litter box as well. I sweep daily as needed. Where they pee and poo lots I put down these extra liners to change every day or too and then change the rest as needed, they have a play side that can go 2 weeks without a change but by the hay and water is every day almost. I would try something similar to the little flipper liners especially if you are struggling with soft poos right now
 
Piggies have their peeing corners; hay trays are usually the biggest toiletting area as well as the sleeping areas. You can use pupp pads in those areas if you have just a few guinea pigs. I use old cut-up washable padded incontinence mattress covers for the bedding areas and cheap cotton towels in the other areas as underlay.

Poo you get all over the place; you notice them much more than other bedding and need to poo patrol once or twice daily.

Please read our guides and tips on fleece. It also helps investing on good quality micro or polar fleece, which wicks away best. Make sure that you have any trace of surface sealing softener washed out before you use fleece, never use softener when washing and never overfill the machine (your fleece comes out stinking to high heaven). I would also strongly recommend to wash your fleece at a higher temperature (60-90 C) from time to time to get on top of any build-up of bacteria. The commercial antibacterial in wash products just won't do it. Fleece shrinks when you wash at higher temperatures, so you need to allow about 10 in for that.
 
I was thinking about putting a little tray in with hay but was worried that it would take up their running space and they like to do most of their pop corning late at night , they have floor time once daughter gets in from school .
 
I'm switching to fleece too, Ive lined the bottom of Midwest cahe with card, then an old towel and then fleece. When you say about using liners down, do you put them on top of fleece or underneath? thanks
 
fab replies, thanks guys. I've got an old kitten litter tray I used for my hedgehog so could use that as a hay tray.
 
I sweep mine out everyday to get rid of hay and poop from the fleece. I also have a cat litter tray with chippings in the bottom and hay on top which I change everyday. They do seem to pee quite a lot in this tray.
The biggest issues I have had is with leaky water bottles leaking and making the fleece and towels wet. I change mine every 7 days but only due to lack of time, I would really love to change them every 5 days. If I can make fleece liners I will be able to change them more often.
I personally do recommend fleece though as I used to use shavings and it is so much better for me.
 
Tip for leaky water bottles. I place a large flat stone under mine to catch drips, act as a sort of step and help wear nails down.
 
Oooo I've always wanted a hedgehog do you any photos?

Sorry didn't see this! Unfortunately she had to be PTS a few months ago. i got her a rescue and had her a few years, she got quite old. But she had a reoccurring urinary infection by the end and it was a nightmare.

11412098_10152840755881493_8806000445868909991_n.jpg
 
Was she friendly? I had a manager that tried to get me to take his hedge when his wife had a baby because she was so nippy, I unfortunately didn't want to as to the zoo and didn't particularly want a nippy hedgehog but I do want one some day.
 
I've just started using fleece and I'm loving it, I poo scoop in the morning and then again in the evening I started using fleece last Friday and changed the fleece and puppy pads today not because they were smelly but because I thought it looked a bit grubby.
 
I'm getting on really well with it too, large towel and fleece on top, I scoop poop about three times a day and change it fully every three days . Much better
 
I think it's much easier than other types of bedding you don't have to change it as often and it smells better than wood shavings, I'm trying to get round to making some liners but just don't seem to have enough time
 
That's my problem, my zorb has sat in the closet for a year I currently just use a layer of cloth diapers under my fleece and then no worries when washing
 
That's my problem, my zorb has sat in the closet for a year I currently just use a layer of cloth diapers under my fleece and then no worries when washing
I have almost a full bag of wood shavings sitting in my cupboard now, it's a waste but I prefer the fleece
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top